Hair styling secrets

PUBLISHED: 23:02 14 February 2010 | UPDATED: 15:54 20 February 2013

Glossy locks

Few of us spend enough time on choosing the right haircare system to keep hair healthy and glowing. Julie Penfold seeks advice from the professionals<br/>We spend hundreds of pounds every year on facial creams, moisturisers...

Few of us spend enough time on choosing the right haircare system to keep hair healthy and glowing. Julie Penfold seeks advice from the professionals

We spend hundreds of pounds every year on facial creams, moisturisers and face packs, plus numerous make-up products and quick-fix beauty treatments in our quest to look beautiful. Inside cosmetic bags and beauty cases all around the world you will find an array of products and cosmetics for all occasions - knowing what works for you beauty-wise is worth its weight in gold - no matter what expense is incurred. Unfortunately, few of us spend a fraction of that money on choosing the right haircare system and buying the correct products to keep hair happy, healthy and glowing. Without professional advice from your stylist, you may be using products which are bad for your hair and are causing problems,such as leaving hair dull, unmanageable or laden with split ends. Susan Crozier, owner of Reflections Hair & Beauty Salon in Corbridge, advises: 'Choosing products for your hair should be carried out after professional advice from your stylist as they will recommend products following an analysis of your hair's needs. 'It is always important to follow the recommended care. Stylists will provide advice on everything you should be using at home to maintain the healthiest looking hair. It is vitally important you are using the correct shampoos and conditioners for your type of hair.' Often when it comes to styling, we may spend a while flicking through the pages of glossy hair magazines, picking out an on-trend super-cool style, without giving any consideration to whether this in-vogue style will suit our hair type, texture, the condition of our hair, and also if said hairstyle will rightfully complement our face shape. Equally important to consider is time management factors. If you are a get-up-brush-and-go type of person, having an elaborate, layered textured style, requiring precious early morning time is a no-go for you. Kerry-Lloyd Fisher, Owner of Guilford Lauren Hairdressing in Middlesbrough, said: 'I tend to do a haircut and style dependent on the hair and the person. If the client has little time to spend on their hair, I would convince them that easy-to-manage styles would work best for them. 'There is no point creating a style which clients are unable to recreate at home, and the look can only be achieved when they return to the hairdressers - I would not be doing my job as a stylist. By advising clients appropriately, you find they stay away longer, are happy with their style, and only return for a little trim to help keep the shape of the style.' Hair deserves to be lavished with deep conditioning treatments every month just as facials and face masks are a must for maintaining a refreshing moisturised glow. Hair which looks full of life while oozing softness and glorious shine can boost confidence and really complement facial features. The secret is in getting to know your hair from root to tip to make the right product choices for glamorous radiant tresses. Using a deep conditioning treatment can give an instant boost to lacklustre hair, instantaneously adding softness, moisture and shine. North East Life sampled a range of intensive hair treatments for all hair types, conditions and to suit all budgets. John Masters Organic Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor (27.45 177ml) is a supreme intensive conditioning treatment which replaces essential fatty acids naturally found in younger hair and revitalises after just one wash. The wonderful natural honey aroma is intoxicating and a real treat in itself. Perfect for restoring and revitalising dry, damaged, colour-treated and permed hair, weekly use will soon have hair looking and feeling great. Charles Worthington's Time Defy Protein Fortifying Masque (5.73 150ml) is an anti-ageing luxurious hair masque which revitalises normal hair and revives damaged hair. The Time Defy range is one of the first anti-ageing haircare ranges to be available nationwide. The key ingredients of active keratin and soya help to maintain hair's youthfulness while providing additional antioxidants to strengthen and nourish hair. Hair feels instantly soft and stronger after one use and it's suitable for all hair types. Live Native Deep Hair Repair (15.85 30ml) is a deep penetrating rare-blend organic coconut oil conditioning treatment for men and women which works wonders on the scalp and hair shaft. The coconut oil is readily absorbed to help reduce loss of protein from the hair shaft. Key ingredients Rosemary, Tea Tree and Neem essential oils improve circulation and maintain a healthy scalp. The results after one single use are impressive. Hair looks healthy, shiny and full of body. A'Kin Lavender & Anthyllis 24 Hour Intensive Moisture Leave-In Conditioner (7.29 150ml) provides daily moisture care for all hair types with its unique blend of amino acids, antioxidants, herbal extracts, vitamins and oils which strengthens and protects hair from the elements, heat styling and environmental damage. Hair looks smoother, shinier, healthy, with curls defined and styles held longer. For very dry or chemically damaged hair this is fantastic for replacing lost moisture. This product was a Winner in the Natural Health Beauty Awards in 2008. Your hair is such an intrinsic part of looking and feeling good. Make your hair happy and healthy by showing it the utmost care and uncovering the right haircare system.